Good afternoon, everyone:
I would like to begin my comments today by extending my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Pastor Steven Dial of Rainbow Park Baptist Church. It was a great pleasure for me to get to know Pastor Dial over the years and have worshipped with him and his congregation on several occasions. He was a great man of faith and he had a great sense of humor. He also started his professional life as a US Army officer, as I did which was certainly a bond that we shared. A few years ago I sat for an interview with him as a prelude to a men’s program that he was leading. At that time I told him that he had a future as a talk show host. His presence in the community will be greatly missed. May Pastor Steven Dial Rest in Peace.
On September 11 I will host our annual Veterans Resource Expo & Fellowship Lunch at the Central DeKalb Senior Center at Mason Mill Park. More information will be available across our communications platforms.
On August 9 it was a pleasure for me to join my friends at MedCura Health for the celebration of 45 years of delivering a quality healthcare alternative to the uninsured and underinsured citizens in our community. The day prior I presented CEO Jeff Taylor with a proclamation at our Board of Commissioners meeting to mark the milestone. And I was able to replicate that presentation in front of his leadership team at the August 9 gathering. I would like to thank the entire MedCura team for the tremendous service that they are providing to our community.
On August 10 I was able to join our esteemed Congressman Hank Johnson for his Immigration Resources Seminar at the Latin American Association Atlanta Outreach Center. Various leaders from multiple federal agencies were available to provide valuable information for friends in the Latin American Community. I commend Congressman Johnson for bringing these resources to our community. And I thank Latin American Association CEO Santiago Marquez for hosting at such a wonderful location.
On August 11 my team and I were hosted at the DeKalb Community Service Board by Fabio van der Merwe and his team. It was a very informative visit and I commend the CSB for the valuable service that they are performing in our community.
On August 12 it was a great pleasure to attend the Scottdale Day celebration. Scottdale is one of the great communities in District 4 and this annual event is always a fun time. The music was great, the food was awesome, and I got to make friends with a horse named Django. I want to commend my friend Michelle Lovely and all the folks in the community who worked so hard to make the event a great success.
That afternoon it was great to join my friends in the Rockborough Community for their annual Back-To-School Bash. This is also a great community in District 4. My office contributed a significant number of backpacks to support this great effort, and it was wonderful to fellowship with the residents. I would like to thank my good friend Stone Mountain City Council Member Shawnette Bryant and all the folks who worked so hard to organize such a great event.
That evening I had the honor of attending the 100 Black Men of DeKalb Annual Scholarship Gala. It was a fundraising event with a silent auction to benefit underserved youth through the Leadership Academy. I want to commend our 100 Black Men of DeKalb President G. Bernard Levett, Jr., and the entire gala committee for organizing a wonderful event.
Witnessing the positive impact that this academy has on nurturing the leaders of tomorrow was truly inspiring. The theme, “Bridging the Gap While Lighting the Path”, highlighted the importance of investing in the education and development of young minds. The event also provided me with the opportunity to dress up for a good cause. I am so proud of these bright young individuals and I wish them every success in the future.
On August 16 it was a privilege to attend the DUI Court Graduation Ceremony. This is one of the Accountability Courts that were derived from the criminal justice reforms that were enacted several years ago. This also includes the Mental Health Court and the Veterans Treatment Court. These very challenging programs provide an alternative to time in jail. Over the past several years my office has allocated $120,000 of our discretionary funds to support the efforts of these courts. Every time I attend one of these ceremonies I am inspired by the courage that is displayed by the graduates. From time to time we all make mistakes and we could all benefit from having a second chance to make a fresh start. I would like to commend and thank Judges Kimberly K. Anderson and Ana Maria Martinez for their outstanding administration of this program.
On August 18 it was an honor to join CEO Michael Thurmond along with most of DeKalb County’s Mayors for what I will call our “SPLOST Solidification Meeting”. The first Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) in DeKalb County’s history was approved by the citizens in 2017 with 71% of the vote. Over the past several years the revenue generated from this program has afforded us the opportunity to attend to long overdue infrastructure improvements. This would not have been possible without the collaboration with our partners in the DeKalb Delegation of the Georgia General Assembly and our municipal leaders. Hopefully, the support for SPLOST II will be equally overwhelming.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may call my office at 404-371-4749, or visit my website at commissionerbradshaw.com. Follow me on all the major social media platforms for updates between the meetings, too.
As always, I will conclude my remarks by thanking the citizens of District 4 and DeKalb County for affording me this opportunity to serve. It is indeed an honor.
Comments